Derek Van Diest, QMI Agency

EDMONTON - The Edmonton Oilers hope with his sinus infection clearing, Ales Hemsky will come out of the fog he’s seemingly been in so far this season.

The Oilers winger skated with the club on Wednesday prior to departing for Minnesota, where they’ll take on the Wild Thursday.

Hemsky sat out the last two games with an infection that had his head spinning. It’s not sure whether he’ll be ready to play against the Wild.

“I’m not 100%, there are still some symptoms that I don’t like,” Hemsky said. “I feel better in practice, it’s coming.

“With the infection in my sinuses I was losing my balance and I wasn’t seeing straight sometimes. I went out to skate in Vancouver and I really couldn’t see when I was on the ice, it’s not really pleasant.”

A stronger prescription has helped Hemsky battle the virus, and perhaps it’ll kill whatever else has been ailing the talented winger.

He’s struggled to find his form following shoulder surgery and some would argue Hemsky wasn’t seeing straight prior to contracting the infection, with just three goals and eight assists in 22 games this season.

“Nobody said it would be easy,” Hemsky said. “I’m not hiding behind anything, nobody said that coming back after surgery I would be able to light it up right away. Maybe I came back too early in the season and I had to take a step back.

“It’s not easy, but now I’m feeling much better with my shoulder, and I can’t wait to play again. I think I’ll be better.”

The Oilers desperately need Hemsky to be better.

Heading out on a six-game road trip, the club is trying to claw its way back into the playoff hunt.

Surprisingly, after being at the top of the Western Conference standings at the end of October, a disastrous trip could have the Oilers out of the playoff picture by January.

Hemsky has been taking a lot of heat for his lack of production, especially since he’s been reduced to a secondary role behind Jordan Eberle, Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.

“I think he’s worked hard, I think he’s tried to make things happen, but I think he’s frustrated,” said Oilers head coach Tom Renney. “I think sometimes he plays outside of what we need from any player. But certainly, Ales having the ability he does and the experience he does, he gets frustrated and that gets in the way of anything right now.”

Hemsky is bothered by his lack of production and his inability to stay healthy during the past three seasons.

He’s required surgery on both shoulders in consecutive years and is showing signs of frustration both on and off the ice.

“It could be a combination of all of the above, quite honestly,” Renney said. “It’s a personality thing and a attitude thing at the end of the day. I know Ales is a competitor and I know he has great character. He’s played through a lot of things for this organization and he continues to now.

“He’s always come out on the other end of it in the right frame of mind and having helped us. Obviously when we get him back in and playing, we need his help.”

Hemsky claims both shoulders are healthy and once the sinus infection has passed, he’ll be able to do the all the things that made him such an offensive threat before.

“He just needs to keep applying himself, just keep working through it,” Renney said. “At this point in time it’s mind over matter for a number of us. I want better results, too, and there is a way to go about this so that you’re a healthy contributor to our environment and Ales is that. He gets quiet and that’s the biggest thing, he just gets quiet.

“Feedback from your veteran guys, experienced players and encouragement even if you need it yourself is never a bad thing to offer up.”

Being in the final year of his contract, the Oilers need to make a decision on where Hemsky fits going forward.

Renney said the Oilers brain trust hasn’t huddled together to discus the winger’s future, and at the moment, are simply focused on salvaging this year.

As for Hemsky, he’s not concerned with the trade talk bound to increase as the season goes along.

“That’s for people like you (media) guys talk about it, and those others writing blogs,” he said. “I can’t worry about it. I don’t pay attention to it, I just have to go out there and play my game. If it happens here or somewhere else, it’s out of my hands right now.”